In October 1987, a pair of slug sets normally found on Southern Pacific's Toledo Hauler are working as helpers in the Cascades. They display the result of ongoing operation in this service as they... (more)

Helpers shove on the rear of coal train 508 in white out snow conditions on the West Slope.

Helpers finish their assist of an eastbound manifest as the train comes into Altoona.

Montana Rail Link manned helpers assist a westbound BNSF coal train across Mullan Pass as they cross Greenhorn Trestle on MRL's 3rd Sub.

A 4 unit set of SD70ACe helpers ride the rear of an Eastbound stack train down the hill into Helena.

A 4 unit set of SD70ACe helpers shove the rear of the Laurel to Missoula westbound around the huge curve at Austin.

A BNSF coal train grinds up the 2.2 percent grade of Mullan Pass approaching Weed, Montana, in the last sunlight of July 5, 2021. Lone EMD SD70ACe No. 9170 swirls amidst its own traction sand in a... (more)

A westbound BNSF coal train loops out of Austin, Montana, while climbing Mullan Pass west of Helena on October 7, 2020. Four Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACes on the mid-train manned helper grind upg... (more)

As a BNSF grain train churns upgrade with a quartet of manned Montana Rail Link EMD SD70ACe helpers cut into the middle of the train, another helper set slowly makes its way east back toward Helen... (more)

Three PRR Alco RSD-12 8670, 8664 & 8666 were assigned to the pusher role in August 1964. Every freight departing Altoona for Gallitzin and the West was assigned a pusher on the rear to assist th... (more)

Push Up, Drift Down

Helpers move in both directions on Conrail’s main line at Bennington Curve, Pennsylvania. An SD45/SD40 pair are assisting a westbound auto parts train on Trac... (more)

Prior to the BNSF, BN regularly used helpers on Stevens Pass. In the mid-1980s crews were protected by these BioPaks, one per crew member. Helpers were cut in near the rear or on the back of train... (more)

With engineers visible in the lead and third units, two SD40 head-end helpers and a pair of SD45’s pull a westbound Conrail train out of Altoona, Pennsylvania, about a mile east of Horseshoe Cur... (more)

Before the ACes… An assortment of MRL helpers of various origins rest at Elliston awaiting their next assignment. Shortly after they would head back towards Austin with the first four assisting ... (more)

It’s another busy morning on Burlington Northern’s route over Crawford Hill in Nebraska. As a quartet of BN EMD SD40-2s splicing a fuel tender, being used as a manned helper set out of Crawfor... (more)